Caitlin Kelly, The Muggleborn
by The-Hufflepuff-Cbgkitten
Summary: An No-Voldy world. Hufflepuff Caitlin Kelly is best friends with Fred, George, and Lee and had been sine they all met each other in first year. But in their 7th year, when a 5th year Draco Malfoy confronts them in their compartment on the train, what drama will ensue? Will Caitlin help Draco see the error of his blind ways, or will he always be a snot-nosed brat who insults other?
1. Meeting the Twins

**Caitlin Kelly, The Muggleborn**

A Harry Potter Fanfiction by Cbgkitten.

**Chapter 1 - Meeting the Twins**

Caitlin Kelly had always known she was special. How else could cookies had flown into her hand when her mom said she couldn't have one or bullies that pulled her pigtails or taunted her for her short stature ended up flat on their backs without a single touch? But, it didn't mean that when she found out that she was a witch, that she wasn't afraid. Soon after the Herbology teacher told her she was a witch, she took her and her family to Diagon Alley. There they exchanged some money for galleons, and went to buy her supplies. They got all of her books, her robes, and then went to get her wand from the odd Ollivander. After a few failures, she was handed a wand that worked for her, 10 inches, hornbeam with a core of unicorn hair, slightly springy, and her pet, a calico cat she had named Athena, after the greek goddess of wisdom.

But now the 11 year old muggleborn and her family stood outside the brick wall that lead to what Professor Sprout told her muggle family was Platform 9 3/4, a magical train station where she would get on the train to her new school, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. But the issue was, they weren't sure how to get onto the platform. Just then a large group of gingers were crowded towards the platform. The mother had two young kids at her sides, a boy and a girl, and was ordering 2 older boys through the wall.

"Come on, Charlie, Percy. You know what to do, run through the wall to the platform, hurry up.", the woman said, before turning to to identical twins who appeared to her age, "Now George, dear it's your turn to go through."

"You call yourself our mother, Mum, really. I'm Fred!", the boy said with a exaggerated eye roll, which made the boy and girl by the woman's side roll their own eyes. Caitlin stifled a laugh at what was obviously a joke on the frazzled woman.

The woman quickly backpedaled, "Oh I'm sorry Fred, through the barrier you go.", she clutched the two children at her sides closer to her.

The boy grinned impishly at his mother, "It's alright, Mum, I am George!", he ran through the barrier with his cart as his mother shouted after him.

Before the woman motioned the other boy, presumably Fred, Caitlin and her parents quickly made their way to the shrunken group of gingers. "Excuse me, ma'am", Caitlin said shyly, "Can you explain to me how I can get to the platform? At least I'm assuming you are going to Platform 9 3/4."

The woman smiled joyfully at Caitlin, "Ah, raised in the muggle world? It's simple all you do is run through the wall to get through, easy as that. It's my twin boys' first years too, you can run through with Fred here if that's ok with your parents."

She turned to her parents and looked at them, her wide green eyes asking them for permission. When her dad slightly inclined his head as permission, she turned to grin shyly at the boy, who had wide, mischievous blue eyes and an equally mischievous grin. "Come on", he said, motioning towards the barrier.

She took a deep breath before nodding to Fred and they rushed the barrier together, her eyes closing as if expecting compact with the brick wall. Of course, she didn't run into it and went easily through the wall. Her eyes opened to see a red train steaming not far from her, and only one of the boys that she had seen on the other side of the wall standing there, the other twin, George.

George whistled when they came through, "Who's the girl, Freddy? That's not Ginny."

Caitlin blushes and said shyly, "I'm Caitlin Kelly. I was born in the muggle world and didn't know how to get to the platform, your mum said I should run through with Fred."

George grinned and held his hand out to Caitlin to shake, "Well, hello Caitlin, nice to meet you. I'm George, the handsomer twin."

Fred mocked glared at his twin while Caitlin laughed, "Looks don't mean anything", she told him, "Besides, you two look the same to me!", she narrowed her eyes to look at them critically to see if she could see any differences. On closer inspection she could see them. "Wait no, you have more freckles on your right cheek and lighter blue eyes", she said, pointing to George, "And you have darker eyes and more freckles on your left cheek", she told Fred. "Besides that, you're mirror images of each other."

The twins stared at her, amazed. "No one can ever tell us apart that quickly, even our Mum and siblings sometimes mix us up.", Fred said in an awed voice.

George grinned and slung an arm over Caitlin's shoulder, "We're going to get along just fine", he informed her.

Fred did the same thing on Caitlin's other side, "Now let's find a compartment on the train before Mum gets over here and starts sobbing all over us."

Caitlin grinned and nodded and the three ran off to put their trunks on the train and find a compartment. It was a start of a friendship even closer than the one of the 'Golden Trio'. Even when Caitlin was sorted into Hufflepuff and they with their brothers into Gryffindor, they were nearly inseparable. She didn't even eat at her own house table, rather at theirs.


	2. 7th Year Train Ride

**Chapter 2 - 7th year Train Ride**

Caitlin was where she had been on the Hogwarts Express every year for 7 years, ever since she met the twins and the three meet Lee Jordan later on the train. The four sat in their compartment, George and Lee on one side, Fred and Caitlin on the other side. The conversation entailed discussion of the joke shop the twins wanted to open. Lee liked the idea, but would rather comment Quidditch professionally than help out with the business. Caitlin, however, had used her bookish habits to research spells and charms for the twins' pranks before, many a time, to her younger friend Hermione Granger's immense disapproval, which she mostly ignored, and was willing to join the shop to continue helping. There also were minor jokes thrown in Fred and Caitlin's direction of being too cosy looking. They always said calmly back that they had been over for 3 years, and no matter what Mrs. Weasely hoped, she was not going to become Caitlin Weasely.

One such of these jokes had been thrown their way and Caitlin had answered, "No matter what Molly has always hoped, I am not going to be giving her little ginger grandkids.", just as Draco Malfoy had poked his head in the door.

Being who he was, Draco sneered as her response to George's joke, "Even the mudblood has better taste than to mate with a Weasely."

Caitlin rolled her eyes and began counting out loud, remembering the first time she had been called that name, by Marcus Flint in her 3rd year, and the twins and Lee had pummeled him, and anyone else to call her the name ever since. "1... 2... 3...", soon after she said three, Fred, George, and Lee sprung out of their seats and launched themselves at the Slytherin, who squeaked in fear, but Caitlin waved her wand and held the boys in place. When they sent her confused looks, she mouthed to them, "I want to deal with this myself", they dropped back down into their seats, trusting their friend to care for herself, Hufflepuff or not, she had the brave heart of a Gryffindor, her Hufflepuff qualities of kindness and nonjudgmental character were just stronger.

She tossed her chin-length brown hair as she smoothly rose from her seat, her wand pointed slightly at Draco, "You know, you think your house would learn not to call me that, especially since I don't care. Yes I was born to muggles. Do I care? Not a whit. I'm actually _proud_ of my muggle heritage. It makes me more special since I didn't get the magic by heritage, it chose me while some magical peoples are left as squibs. Besides Malfoy, 'knowing better than to mate with a Weasely'? Use your brain sometimes, the twins have been my best friends since we met at 11. Besides, I'm sure everyone in Hogwarts knows Fred and I dated three years ago. So please, you use that 'pureblood' brain next time before you open your mouth.", she then fluidly sat, piercing Draco with a green eyed glare before he left the compartment, his blue-grey eyes widened a millimeter with awe of her speech.

She smirked, the expression surprisingly Slytherin on her sweet, still baby-like rounded face before she turned her once again friendly green eyes to the boys, "What were we talking about, boys?" She laughed as the spell was broken of their own awe and as she was bombarded with questions and compliments on shocking Draco into silence.

"The only other person who I've heard of standing up to that blond git like that is Hermione with that stellar punch in their 3rd year", congratulated Fred.

Caitlin laughed and punched Fred's arm lightly, "Oh stop it boys, you're acting like I got Snape to willingly award points to your house, all I did was use some good logic on Malfoy. It's not a big deal. It's just Malfoy anyway, he was probably looking for Harry's compartment to bug him, Ron, and Hermione like he does every year." The four laughed and went back to talking about Fred and George's future shop.

* * *

Draco, who had been standing outside the door, still in shock at Caitlin's passionate speech and knowing that he would be the topic of the conversation, and wanting to know what they were saying about him. It hurt him that Caitlin had brushed him off as "just Malofy". There were no 'just's when it came to him. It just made him determined to change her mind, even though he was still having shock waves of everything he had learned from his friends growing up becoming false in his eyes. Muggleborns really were more special, they were born with magic when no one else around them was, purebloods were inbreds that inherited it. Also, he had forgotten that the girl had dated.. Fred, was it? She had dated Fred in their fourth year, when he was still a second year and confused about his own feelings towards girls.

A girl had never intrigued him as much as Caitlin now did, she had become a mystery to him, and this was one mystery he was eager to solve, even if it meant losing the respect of his so called friends. So called because now that he had seen how the Weasely twins and Lee Jordan had reacted almost immediately to protect Caitlin. He knew his own "friends" would most likely evaluate the situation before they stepped in to help him, if they did help him at all.

It was then that Draco Malfoy realized he wanted to change. So many things had been challenged that he thought were facts in a 2 minute 'discussion' with Caitlin, and her logic won. He was going to stop throwing around his name and blood status, and actually start using his brain before he spoke. He now wanted to impress Caitlin,. She had so quickly changed everything he thought he knew and now he wanted to challenge her own thoughts on something, that something being him. So yes, Draco Malfoy was going to change, and he doubted he could ever go back to what he had been.

He strode back to his own compartment to confront the people he had called friends until now about their beliefs that they had ingrained and poisoned him with. He just hoped he could change himself now, and become something and not a 'just' to the green-eyed girl laughing in her compartment with her friends.

* * *

Caitlin was grinning in her compartment, leaning on Fred as she laughed so hard, tears streamed down her face. Lee had just mimicked the look on Malfoy's face when he left the compartment, half-awed, half-confused. The boys hadn't been willing to let it go for long before bringing it into the jokes. She grinned at 'her' boys, glad she had chosen them for best friends instead of those gossipy girls in her dorm room. Honestly, who cared how Cedric looked? He was dating Cho, off limits, and _not_ all that attractive anyway. The boys, though at times immature or crude, were at least funny and could always brighten up her day, especially when the twins carried her short form out of around the school grounds on their shoulders, with her laughing all the way. It had become a regular sight around the school, and only the first years were surprised with it anymore, and even then only for about the first month of school. They were like brothers to her, more so now than ever now that her and Fred had dated and decided that they were better off friends, the best of friends.

Of the three men, she had always been closest to Fred, he was the most witty of them, and considerate as well. He always toned down crude talk around her, unlike Lee and George who would talk about their 'accomplishments' with girls when she was around like she was just one of the guys. Fred had never done that, he kept that type of talk for the dorm and it never left there. Not that he treated her like she was delicate, no, in Quiddich he hit the bludger at her with no regrets, unless he badly hurt her that is, but she was the Hufflepuff seeker and it was his job. She still caught the Snitch more times than Harry, though, much to the other teen's embarrassment. Ever since walking through that barrier with Fred, he had always been the one she went to with problems or to tell something exciting to her to.

The thing with Draco earlier bugged her, well, his face after she had ranted at him bugged her, she laughed when Lee copied it, but it seemed to her she had really affected the blonde Slytherin. Being a Hufflepuff, she didn't have the inbred rivalry and hatred of Slytherin her Gryffindor friends did. So she didn't hate Draco just because of his house, and she felt that the Slytherin wasn't as mean and cruel as he often pretended to be. She would watch him this year to see how her words impacted him.


	3. The Feast

**Chapter 3 - The Feast**

By the time the train reached Hogwarts, the four had long been dressed in their robes, and they headed together to their carriage. As they entered the doors to the Great Hall, they separated, the start of the year feast was nearly the only time she sat at her own house's table, to greet the new house members. She noticed out of the corner of her eye that Draco was walking by himself to the Slytherin table, striding purposefully away from the group of people he had called his friends all his life, who appeared to have been talking pleadingly with him. Maybe her words had made him realize that the people he was surrounded by weren't all that great? Maybe, she doubted it though, it was probably due to a realization of his own. She did hope that her words had broke through his hateful haze and enlightened him, though. Did she understand why she wanted that? No, she didn't, she put it down to her Hufflepuff qualities of wanting to help people and make the world a friendlier place, though.

She sat next to a friend of her's from the Hufflepuff Quidditch team, one of the girls in her year that weren't half in love with Cedric Diggory. They chatted quietly throughout the feast, knowing as soon as they went back to their dorms, the majority of girls in their room would be gossiping about the muscles their fellow quidditch player had gotten over the summer. even though he didn't even go to Hogwarts anymore, so they wanted to catch up to each other now, as they wouldn't be able to later. She told her about what happened on the train with Draco and her friend laughed and shook her head as if to say, "When will he learn?"

A while later, out of the corner of her eye at Gryffindor table she saw Fred, George, and Lee standing to leave, she excused herself from her friend with a simple, "Sorry, my Gryffindors are leaving", which tore a laugh out of her friend, and went to join the boys, as they waited for her at the doors of the Hall as they usually did. As she reached them the twins grinned a grin she knew very well and what it meant, and leaped into their arms as they reached them down for her. They placed her happily on between the two of them on their shoulders and she grinned, grabbing ahold of both of them to stay upright. "Where to?", asked Fred, grinning.

"The Room?", answered Caitlin, shrugging lightly, "We could use a place that no one can enter once we're in."

The boys nodded at these wise words and the trooped through the halls, the odd group of the 4 of them, and up to the 7th floor, where she jumped of the boys shoulders with the ease of practice and walked in front of the wall where the Room of Requirement was hidden 3 times, thinking of a place to test and research their pranks as well as a place to just talk. When the door appeared they headed through it, Caitlin the the lead, and the boys right behind her and were greeted with the familiar appearance of the room they had used for the past 5 years, since Caitlin had read about the Room per Hermione's suggestion to read Hogwarts: A History and they had used it nearly ever free chance they all had ever since. It was a room with bright yellow walls and a few deep red sofas surrounding a warm fire, with a far corner holding jet black recliner chairs, a bookcase filled with any books one would need to enchant pranks, as well as a work table with supplies and cauldrons to brew any potion related products. Today they just headed to couchs, Fred and Caitlin flopping down on one, Lee and George on another. They immediately started up where they had left off in their conversation on the train, about the shop the twins were planning on opening.

They started throwing out names, before settling on one name finally an hour later, soon before they had to leave to head to their common rooms, "Weaselys' Wizarding Wheezes", had input Caitlin, before grinning and adding, "And in tiny letters underneath, 'And their researcher, Caitlin Kelly' because I'm important too", causing them all to laugh. But, it was a unanimous agreement on her suggestion and a minute later they had exited the Room carefully and separated again for their common rooms, Caitlin heading to her's outside the kitchens, and the three boys to Gryffindor Tower.

On the way back to her common room, Caitlin became lost in her thoughts of what may happen when she got out of Hogwarts and helped the twins build up their shop, when she accidentally ran into someone, she and the person both fell to the ground and she quickly stood and held out a hand to help up whoever it was, "I'm sorry, I was lost in thought, I wasn't-", she cuts off suddenly, noticing who it was that she knocked down. Draco Malfoy, _great_. She pulls her hand back as soon as she helps him up and turns to leave, hoping he wouldn't say anything so she wouldn't have to rant at him for a second time today.

She was stopped as Draco said one word that made her turn around "Wait", she looked at him expectantly, waiting to see what it was he had to say. He cleared his voice nervously before continuing, "I just wanted to say... What you said back on the train was true, and made me realize a lot of things. My family had never really pushed the whole pureblood supremacy thing on me, it was pressured on me by my friends. I wanted to impress them so when we were little and they were boasting what their parents had taught them to me, I ate it up and boasted back so I continue their friendship with me, foolish, I know, but I was young and impressionable and just wanted to have some people to play with. You and Hermione Granger, two of the smartest, most powerful witches I know and you're both muggleborns, I wish I had seen it sooner, but as you said on the train, I didn't use my brain, I just went with what my friends had ingrained in me from childhood, the prejudices many purebloods blindly believe. So thank you, for helping me see what I should have seen years ago.", he took a deep breath once he finished, smiling weakly at Caitlin.

Caitlin stood there stunned for several long moments after hearing what he said, she couldn't believe she had changed the Slytherin's heart so quickly. She stayed there dazed, until she noticed a few moments later that he was still standing there, presumably awaiting her reply. She gave a nearly unnoticeable, somewhat sheepish smile and said quietly, "I'm glad I helped you see the error of your ways, and I hope you take that new insight and apologize to the people you've hurt with you blind ways with it.", with that and a slight _swish _of her Hufflepuff robes, she had turned the corner and was gone.

* * *

Draco stared after her, trying to judge if her opinion on him had changed. He sighed, though, realizing her thoughts would never really change until he took her advice and apologized to the people he had hurt with this thoughtless actions. He turned and headed to his own common room, determined to start on that the next day, and to find new friends, ones that wouldn't try and change him, preferably non-Slytherin, non-prejudice friends to impress her.


	4. Apologies

**Chapter 4 - Apologies**

The next day owls dropped letters with the same neat, elegant scrawl written in silver ink in front of every Weasely in the castle, Harry, Hermione, Caitlin, and several other muggleborns and assorted "blood traitors" at breakfast.

Caitlin and the twins all looked at each other before opening their letters at the same time. Caitlin read her's aloud first.

_Dear Caitlin Kelly, _

_ As you suggested, I have sent letters to everyone still in Hogwarts that I have a memory of insulting in my blind ways. I will start with the next thing you suggested soon enough, but for now here is my apology to you._

_I'm sorry that I didn't use my brains to see how wrong my opinions of muggleborns were and insulted you for something that you have no control over, especially when it was so clearly proven wrong seeing as you and Hermione Granger, two muggleborns, are the two smartest witches in school. I am sincerely sorry that I didn't see this sooner, or else we might have been able to be friends._

_ My deepest apologies,_

_ A changed Draco Malfoy_

Caitlin's mouth and letter dropped in shock that Draco was actually heeding her advice and apologizing to people! Looking at the twins and Lee, they didn't seem to be reacting any better than her to this, more shocked actually.

The twins quickly tore open their letters and read them allowed, they were the same except for their names at the top.

_ Dear Fred (George), _

_ I formally apologize for any insults I have made to your family. You were there then Caitlin ranted at me, so you know what was said and it really did change me. Caitlin suggested when I asked her that to better myself and been seen as more than a stupid blind, prejudice Slytherin bully, that I apologize for my wrongs, so there is it. I also think your pranks are brilliantly thought out (Does Caitlin help with the unique spells and potions you make? For the research part at least?) and I wish you luck with them in the future, as long as they aren't aimed at me._

_ Apologies for my stupidity,_

_ A changed Draco Malfoy_

Their eyes bugged out of their heads as they read it, "You", Fred said, "Are a miracle worker to have gotten to Malofy like that."

George nodded his agreement, but Caitlin laughed lightly, "I'm not miracle worker, he just has seen the light and wishes to change and goes to me because I'm the one who revealed the light to him.", she shrugged, "It's nothing special, it could have just as easily been someone else."

The three boys loudly disagreed with her and they argued for the rest of breakfast, and Caitlin never once turned her head and noticed the blonde they were talking about staring at Caitlin longingly for the whole of breakfast.

* * *

Draco watched at breakfast as all the letters he wrote, with the help of Blaise with some of the wording, were dropped upon the students at breakfast. He soon zeroed in on Caitlin to see her reaction, and noticed she seemed to be reading it aloud to the twins and Lee. He watched as her face turned to shock as she read to the point of her green eyes going as wide as saucers. He smiled slightly at getting such a reaction from her and watched as the twins, though her could only see Fred, but he assumed that George was doing the same, frantically opening the envelope, their reactions when they opened their letters made him merely smirk, and they seemed to be worshiping Caitlin for getting him to see the light.

What made him happy, though, was seeing Caitlin be calm about it, he assumed, correctly, that she was being modest about changing him. Modesty was always a good trait, one he now saw that most Slytherin's didn't have, one of their key traits being ambition and all, but it was one he'd always admired.

He was still watching Caitlin, seeing her arguing, by the looks of it, with her three friends when he felt Blaise snort beside him. Draco sent him a withering look, "Something wrong?"

Blaise shrugged, "More entertained to see you so love-struck for a certain Hufflepuff."

That got Draco's attention, "What are you talking about, 'love-struck'?"

Blaise smirked, "It's pretty obvious. The girl managed to 'enlighten' you with a single rant, you're now trying desperately to impress her, you look sad whenever you talk to her and she walks away, and you keep staring at her with a goofy look on your face."

Draco narrowed his eyes at his friend, "You're insane.", he declared, "She just helped me see that I was wrong and I look up to her to fix the other things about me that are wrong. I don't get sad when she leaves, and I do _not_ look at her with a weird face."

Blaise snorted, "You keep telling yourself you aren't in love with those big blue eyes."

Draco flushed, "I am not in love with her, and are you an idiot? She doesn't have blue eyes, her eyes are _green_."

Blaise smirked as his point was made and Draco's head banged onto the table next to him, "Bloody hell", he muttered into the soft wood, "I do love her."


	5. Shock

**Chapter 5 - Shock**

Caitlin was talking with the twins and Lee in the Gryffindor common room, where she could be often found, so the Gryffindors were not more shocked by it than her sitting at their house table. They were near the fire, later that day when Harry, Ron, and Hermione walked up to them. "Hey Caitlin?", Harry called a question in his tone.

"Yeah?", she answered turning to look at her friend, "What is it?"

"What the bloody hell are these?", Ron blurted out, earning a reproachful look from Hermione. In each of the trio's hands were a letter, much like the one Caitlin and the twins had gotten at breakfast.

Caitlin rolled her eyes, "Did you have to interrupt Harry, Ron? And that, is an apology letter from Draco Malfoy that I asked him to write."

"But why would he listen to you?", Hermione asked softly, "To him, you and me are usually considered inferior to his blonde-ness."

Caitlin laughed softly, "Usually, but on the train ride here he poked his head into our compartment and said his usual insults, and when Fred, George, and Lee were about to pummel the Slytheirn into the ground I stopped them and lectured him instead about using his brains to see past prejudices that were frequently proven wrong. He soon realized I was right and came to be to see what I thought he could do to improve himself and prove to me I was wrong about him The letters were his first step."

"And the second step?". Hermione questioned.

Caitlin smiled sheepishly, "Uh, that's the issue. Ron, don't blow up, but I told him the second step was earning your three's forgiveness because I know you guys won't give it until you're sure he's serious."

Ron's face turned as red as his hair, but he obediently kept his mouth shut. He knew that Caitlin was the only thing keeping the twins from testing each of their pranks on him. Hermione turned to sooth him and so it was left to Harry to respond to Caitlin's suggestion to Draco Malfoy.

He did this by flopping onto a nearby chair with a groan and burying his face in his hands. "Why would you punish us like this, Caitlin?", bemoaned the raven-haired fifth year.

Caitlin rolls her eyes at the dramatic bespeckled 15 year old, "I didn't do anything. _You_ are the only ones I can trust to judge his true character. Try to look at it without your normal Gryffindor prejudices against him, please?"

The three seemed to sigh, but reluctantly agreed, casing Caitlin and hug her three younger friends. She then returned to the couch to go back to talking with the twins and Lee, a smile rest on her face as they again began talking about the future joke shop.

* * *

Draco lay staring at the ceiling in the in the Room Of Requirement, still in shock of when he had discovered with Blaise's help. He loved Caitlin Kelly, the muggleborn girl who helped him see the truth of his stupid ways. He was laying on a couch provided for him by the room, while a faintly amused Blaise watched him from a nearby chair.

Several minutes later Draco finally broke the silence that ruled over the room, "What am I going to do?", whispered the blonde.

Blaise snorted, "You're _Draco Malfoy_. You're going to do what she asked you to do and better yourself, then when she's impressed by your change you will begin to flirt with her. She'll become putty in your hands."

Draco shook his head, "It'll take more effort than that, Blaise. She's different, she isn't affected by my charms like normal girls. She's special."

Blaise raised his eyebrow, "You have it _bad_, don't you?"

Draco nodded weakly, going back to staring up at the ceiling. Blaise sighed, feeling bad for his friend, watching him, trying to think of something to help the usually confident Slytherin. It was only an hour before they had to leave for curfew, and the two spent the rest of the time figuring out the minor details, and left the Room with lighter footsteps and smiles across their faces. They knew what to do to help Draco woo Caitlin.


	6. Normality?

**Chapter 6 - Normality?**

Caitlin woke up the next day, with wide eyes, breathing harshly in and out. What had that been? It was early, earlier than she had to wake on a Saturday, around 5 o'clock according to her _tempus_ spell. She shook her head, trying to get rid of the lingering dream that had awoken her.

It started with her alone in a hallway somewhere in Hogwarts, possibly around the Room of Requirements. Then she had heard the clunk of footsteps on the stone floor. She had turned towards the footsteps, instead of running away like she normally would, as it was curfew and it might be Filch and his damnable cat.

But it wasn't the squib or his mangy cat, it was Draco, coming right for her, his light blue eyes locked on her face. There was a look in his eyes though, that she had never seen before, at least not on his face. It looked scary similar to the expression Fred had around her when they had dated. She licked her lips, was it from fear? She didn't know. Then the silence was broken, Draco had spoken.

_What are you doing out so late little Hufflepuff?_, the dream Draco had questioned.

_Wouldn't you like to know_, her dream-self had answered. Was she flirting?

Dream Draco had smirked and walked forward father, to get closer to her dream-self, close in on her personal space. _I would like to know_, he whispered, breathing in the same air as her due to his proximity to her.

_Wha- what do you want?_, her voice had been weak, frightened almost. She had just realized how being this close could be so.. intimate.

_You_, had been the dream blonde's only answer before lips has pressed against her's and the dream her had been lost.

She had just moving to kiss back before she had awoken in the panic she was in now. She tried to rid herself of the dream once more, unwilling to think about the meaning behind the dream that was staring her in the face. Feelings that would never be returned, because though Draco had come to respect her, he would never care for her like that. She was certain of it.

So she spent the day with her 3 Gryffindor boys like normal, acting as normal as she could. If she overdid it, no one mentioned anything and she didn't see any odd looks thrown her way while they talked.

But in the back of her mind while acting normal, lingered that dream. She could shake it, no matter how she tried. That night the act dropped and a dream similar to the one the night before danced behind her eyelids, except with her more flirtatious and less afraid this time. It proved that these feelings were not something to be easily pushed away or ignored, though she would try.

* * *

Draco and Blaise were again in the Room the next day, working out the finer details of the plan and going over it again.

"So you slowly show her how you've bettered yourself and grown more mature.", Blaise repeats one last time, "As you do this, you're doing what she says and making nice with the 'Golden Trio'. Then when you have earned their forgiveness, make friends with her and when you're friendship feels secure, start the flirting."

"And then when I think she returns my feelings reveal how I feel.", Draco finishes, "I know, Blaise, we've been over it a million times."

Blaise rolled his eyes, "I know, but going over it again will help. Besides, it's not like we can talk about anything else. You keep getting sidetracked with thoughts of her and get this far off look in your eye."

Draco blushed faintly, protesting, "I am not! And I don't get any look in my eye!", he knew he was lying, though. He couldn't think of anything but the green-eyed Hufflepuff. He had it bad, and he would do anything to get Caitlin to feel a fraction for him as he felt for her. He didn't know she already did.


	7. The Plan Begins

**Chapter 7 - The Plan Begins**

Several days passed, dreams of her and Draco together kept her wishing to stay awake at night, and attempt to forget her feelings by throwing herself into her schoolwork and clinging to her three best friends more than ever. It didn't help her stressed state when Harry and Ron came into the Gryffindor common room everyday and moaned about Draco's seeking of their forgiveness.

Hermione, being who she was, was much more understanding. She was close to forgiving Draco, and so was much for positive when it came to talking about him. She even scolded her two best friends about being so negative when it came to the blonde.

But, as Draco was a near constant topic, either being talked about badly, with shock over the letters still, or with happiness that he had changed his tune, it was getting more and more difficult to cast aside the feelings Caitlin didn't want to admit she had. This resounds as Draco seems to show up around her more and more with each passing day.

Finally, on a day about two weeks after the apologies were dropped onto the plates of Hogwarts students, Harry and Ron gave in from their stubborn ways and forgave Draco for what he had done to them, seeing that he had truly changed, and when they told Caitlin of it, she instantly paled. She knew what that meant.

Draco would come to her to know what she wanted him to do next to redeem himself, it was only a matter of time. The thought terrified her, being face-to-face with the man who had starred in her dreams for weeks. It was a thought that was proven right after dinner, when while on Fred and George's shoulders like normal, Draco approached her. She swallowed at the sight of him before nodding in greeting and facing him.

* * *

Draco had finally completed the first part of the plan, he had won Hermione, Ron, and Harry's forgiveness. Hermione had been easy, he had earned her's weeks before. Ron and Harry had a lot harder time looking out from behind their preconceived notions of him to see his sincerity in wanting to change. But, it seemed the three had see more than his desire to change, if what Ron and Harry had said to him after giving their forgiveness was any clue.

"_We've come to see your desire to change is true, and so we forgive you for your past wrongdoings to us.", Harry had said._

"_Also, we wish you luck with Caitlin.", Ron had added before the two walked away._

He was still stunned that they had seen through him so easily. Though, if he had to guess, Hermione had probably been the one to see and and mentioned it to her two best friends.

Now he was in front of Caitlin. She was on her normal position on the Weasely twins shoulders. He couldn't hold back a smile at the sight of her. He waited as he watched her nod to him and jump gracefully with a practiced air from the shoulders of her friends, and told them to go on without her.

"Hey", Draco said quietly, "The trio finally forgave me, and you told me to come to you when I did to get it, for more suggestions to help me."

Caitlin blushed faintly, "Yes, Ron and Harry told me.", she shrugged, "I actually thought it'd take longer for those two stubborn Gryffindor boys to forgive you, so I haven't thought of what you should do next. Come find me tomorrow around 6 in the library, I should have something by then."

Draco grinned, causing Caitlin's blush to deepen, though he didn't notice it, "I'll see you tomorrow then, I look forward to completing whatever you think of and proving myself to you.", then it was him to turn and disappear down the hall, leaving a stunned Caitlin behind.

She soon recovered and grinned, running off to find Fred, George and Lee. Both of their hearts, as their footsteps took them further away from each other, thudded with joy at their meeting, and ever more at their planned meeting the next day. When Draco returned to Blaise, the other student just smirked, knowing exactly what had improved the other's mood, but Lee and the twins, not knowing of Caitlin's feelings for the blonde Slytherin, were confused by Caitlin's lighter seeming steps, though if she kept it up, it wouldn't take them long to find out.


	8. The Meeting

**Chapter 8 - The Meeting**

Caitlin spent the entire next day trying to think up something for Draco to do, but she kept drawing a blank. It wasn't till lunch till she got an idea. 'That's it!", she cried out mentally, "That's what he can do!"

She went through the halls the rest of the day with lighter footsteps, the weight of her heavy thinking off her shoulders. Soon the time that she had planned to meet Draco drew near, and she was practically skipping to the library.

She was sitting at a table, her books in front of her as she waited, deciding to do an essay that had been assigned to pass the time. At 6 exactly, Draco walked into the library and over to her. She smiled happily at him, closing her books to turn to him, "I have an idea, it's the only one I can come up with, but you might not like it."

* * *

Draco had been pacing outside the library for 10 minutes, he didn't want to show up too early and risk looking over egear, so just as 6 rolled around he walked into the library and made his way over to her.

She was surrounded by books and had ink on her hand as she wrote what appeared to be an essay, but even covered in ink, she was beautiful to him. When she put her books and essay away and smiled at him, his heart melted until he heard the words she said. He then froze, not knowing what was going to happen, but nodded to show he was listening.

She seemed to take a deep breath, "My idea is this, if you don't like it, I can try to think of something else, but I feel like this is a good idea. My idea is that for a month you pretend to date me, publicly. As I am a muggleborn, if you can convince the school that you care for me, it will be a huge step in the right direction."

Draco paled and blushed at the same time. She wanted to date him? Or, at least, pretend to do so? He'd be a fool to say no, and he wasn't planning on saying no, this was a chance of a lifetime. He could ditch the plan he and Blaise had made and instead use this to convince Caitlin of his changed ways and of his feelings, and maybe by the end of this month, they could be dating for real.

While Draco's thoughts were running a rampage, Caitlin was still talking, "Of course, you can tell your friends that it's pretend, as I will be telling my friends that. Is this plan ok for you?"

Draco snapped out of it and nodded, "Yes, it sounds like a good idea to me. So, should we meet in front of the Great Hall before breakfast tomorrow and walk in together to show the school that we are 'dating'?"

Caitlin nodded and smiled, "I'll meet you there."

**(A/N: Short chapter, but it's just a filler to set up the next chapter. The next one will be longer.)**


	9. Telling Their Friends

**Chapter 9 - Telling their friends**

The hurdle of getting Draco to accept her "fake" dating plan was over with. But, that was small compared to what Caitlin now had to do. Now she had to tell Harry, Ron, and Hermione. But, even more difficult, she had to tell her three best friends, Fred, George, and Lee. Something told her that they would be more difficult to convince of the need for it.

She went to the Gryffindor common room, knowing all of her Gryffindor friends were there. When she got past the Fat Lady, she saw them, as she had predicted, on a couple of sofas near the fire. She walked over to them, and plopped down in her usual spot between Fred and George, greeting everyone, before saying, "I've told Draco what he's got to do next, but you guys aren't going to like it."

Silence surrounded the group for a few moments, before Hermione piped up, "What is it, Caitlin?"

Caitlin sighed, "I could only come up with one idea, I'm actually surprised he agreed to it…", she trailed off here, thinking about that statement. Why did he agree to it? She didn't know. She'd think more on it later because George was growling at her.

"What is it?", the less tactful Weasely twin growled out. The redhead wasn't known for his patience.

Caitlin let out a long-suffering sigh at George before saying haltingly, "As I said, it's the only think I could think of… I proposed to Draco that for the next month, to prove his changed feelings for muggleborns, he fake date me."

Silence only last for a moment, though Caitlin wished it lasted longer, because all the guys in the group, with the exception of Harry, who sat quietly with a nearly unnoticeable smile on his face, at least Caitlin didn't notice it, exploded. A million things were being yelled at her at once, the most common things she heard was "Are you mad?" or "What are you thinking?"

She kept trying to break in to explain herself, but she kept being interrupted, so she silently '_Silencio_ 'ed and shouted, "Enough!", well the spell came into effect she smiled in satisfaction and smiled smugly, "That's better. Now you stupid boys are going to _listen_ to me. It's the only thing I could think of for him to do, and if you look at it objectively it's a _good idea_. What better way to show that he's moving from his past stupidity than to date one of the most well known muggleborns in the school? Besides, it's not real. It's not like I plan to marry the guy.", she snorts, finishing her yelling at her friends, while thinking in response to the last thing she said in the back of her mind, 'Oh, how I wish.'

Harry, having been quiet throughout this, quietly and somewhat smugly input, "Why would you even think of it in the first place?"

Caitlin sputtered, blushing a rosy pink, "I don't know, I just did.", she lied. She knew it was a bad lie, because the people she had silenced now looked at her suspiciously. She sighed and lifted the spell on them, expecting them to burst on her again with questions and accusations.

She was surprised when it didn't happen. They all just looked at her until Fred broke the silence with a sad, "Caitlin…"

She snapped at him, "Don't say my name like that, like I've done something wrong and disappointed you.", tears fill in her eyes and she tries to blink them away.

Hermione wrapped the Hufflepuff in a hug much like the ones she sometimes gave Harry, a physical showing of the strength of their friendship and of her proving that she would always be there for her friend, "No one is judging you, Caitlin. I'm sure no one will if you just tell the truth. What is it you feel from Draco Lucius Malfoy?"

Caitlin let out a shuttering sigh and all the words came pouting out, the dreams, her confused feelings, her certainty that said feelings were not returned. All the while her friends looked at her sadly, and Hermione hugged her friend all the while in a show of support.

When she finished a cry of "I knew it!", from Harry shocked her as well as the rest of her friends, except for Hermione, who simply rolled her eyes at her raven-haired friend.

Caitlin stared at the 5th year with shock clear in her green eyes, "What? Bu- how?"

Harry grinned, laughing slightly, "I'm a guy, but I'm not stupid. Or blind. And I can tell you, I'm fairly sure you don't have to worry about Draco's feelings. The desperation and look in his eye when he was trying to get us to forgive him spoke volumes. I wouldn't be surprised a bit if you were dating for real by the end of the month.", and with a final grin, Harry left the room and disappeared up the stairs into his dorm.

He left behind 5 shocked people, Ron, Lee, Fred, George, and Caitlin. Hermione was just annoyed that Harry had announced all that he and her had figured out. Finally, Fred sighed and looked at Caitlin, a sad smile on his lips, "Well, I think I speak for all of us when I say that if Harry approves, I do too because he's a good judge of character and things like this."

When the others nodded their somewhat numb agreement, Caitlin burst into tears and hugged all her friends; Everything was going to be fine with them.

* * *

Draco, however, was having much more luck with Blaise, as this made their plans so much easier. When he got back to the Slytherin common room and found his friend slouching on the sofa, he made a beeline for him and requested that they talk in private.

They headed up to their empty dormitories, and Draco then told Blaise everything that had occurred in the library with an expression of pure happiness written on his pale face.

Blaise chuckled at Draco's joy before saying, "I think you getting the girl is going to be a lot easier now."

Draco's smile grew as he nodded, "Uh-huh, and I'm suppose to met her before breakfast in front of the Great Hall, so we can announce to the school that we're "dating". I'm thinking by the end of the month, I will be dating her for real. Don't you think so?"

Blaise nodded in agreement, "I'm sure, your love for this girl is true and deep, she'd be a fool not to see it and accept it, mate. Now, remember to earn her friendship and trust before you go blurting out anything, ok? If you don't get those first, you might scare her away."

Draco nodded again, "Right, I know. She won't fall at my feet like girls have in the past", here he grinned, "But, the excitement to have to chase her instead of being chased makes it worth it, and I know that she will be worth anything I have to do to get her."

Blaise rolled his eyes and scoffed jokingly, "Don't go all soft on me, mate. We're still Slytherins, you know."

Draco rolled his eyes, "Yeah, I know. But, if I have her, fallen rank won't matter a whit to me."

Blaise laughed at his best friend, "We'll see mate. Now if I could find a girl to be as crazy about as you are about your little Hufflepuff, the house will shun us for sure.", he grinned here, eager to do something to shock the very set-in-their-ways house to it's core.

Draco smirked, "I'm sure they'll be someone. Like that girl in Caitlin's house and year that she talks to sometimes, she's pretty cute."

"Jena Ravenwing?", Blaise questioned, "I guess, but I don't really think she's my type.", he declared with a slightly wrinkled nose.

Draco laughed and clapped his friend on the back, "When I have my Caitlin, we'll find someone prefect for you, mate. It's the least I can do for you helping me with this."

Blaise grinned and stated, "What are friends for?", before the two Slytherins began to discuss things more in depth, only stopping then the other boys lumbered into the dorm to go to sleep.


	10. Dating'

**Chapter 10 - 'Dating'**

As promised, the next day held Caitlin waiting outside the doors of the Great Hall, waiting for Draco. Around her stood her friends, the trio of Harry, Hermione, Ron, and her Gryffindor boys, Fred, Lee, and George. They were all more relaxed than they had been the night before, the boys coming to accept her crush for the blonde Slytherin and the mention of Draco returning her feelings from Harry had been nearly forgotten in her joy at the acceptance.

Everyone had also accepted that this idea of fake dating was Caitlin's way of trying to see if Draco would be opposed to the real thing. They hoped, from the Hufflepuff's sake, they he wasn't. Besides, if she began to date Draco, maybe Molly would stop mentioning her marrying and having ginger babies with her best friend. That just got on everyone's nerves when Caitlin visited.

The 7 of them had been standing out the Great Hall for only about ten minutes before Draco showed up with Blaise. Then, the air became tense with non-forgotten fights lurking beneath the surface as the friends on both sides nodded coolly and politely to each other, before turning and heading into the Great Hall together, while Caitlin and Draco stood back.

Caitlin took a deep breath and turned to Draco, "You ready, Malfoy?"

The Slytherin grinned before confirming, "As I'll ever be.", then he reached his hand out for her to take.

She took another breath before taking it, turning to stare ahead of her with her chin in the air in defiance to any comments that their entrance may produce and took the step that would lead them into the hall.

A fork could be dropped on the cold stone floor of the room and could be heard clearly in the shocked silence that surrounded their entrance to the hall as every student within took in their intertwined hands. Then suddenly, as one, the hall became loud with whispers and everyone turned to gossip with their neighbor.

Caitlin smiled lovingly at Draco, a look not entirely, if at all, faked, before detaching from him and walking over to eat at Gryffindor table with the twins and Lee as if nothing had happened, as if it was normal.

* * *

Draco went to eat with Blaise, snubbing any attempts of the Slytherin girls simpering over him at the table though breakfast, stopping their attempts to flirt with him and show that they were "proper" for them with five simple words, "I love _her_, back off." It worked rather well, as it caused each of them to sulk off; even the usually annoyingly persistent Pansy was deterred by his words.

After each exchange he and Blaise would look at each other and roll their eyes, before going back to eating and Draco's gaze going back to his 'girlfriend', who's gaze he would catch every so often, before they both looked away, blushing. They were the picture of the cute new couple still unsure that their feelings were entirely shared. Which, in a way, they were.

Breakfast passed with the whispers continuing until Draco and Caitlin made eye contact and Draco nodded slightly at her. It seemed this was a signal, because the two, Blaise, Fred, George, and Lee, al; headed towards the middle of the hall, where Draco and Caitlin again joined hands and left the hall with their friends trailing behind them.

Each ignored the rumors being spread, even as through the day they heard wilder and wilder ones, none even close to the truth. Some of the rumors said that Draco had impregnated Caitlin (Draco thought these were started by the Slytherins he had snubbed earlier that day), others said that it was some weird idea by Dumbledore to promote house unity, more still suggested that Draco's parents had encouraged him to date the popular muggleborn for the good of their family name. None seemed to think their love was true, which it was though neither of the two knew it. But the fact itself saddened the two greatly, though the two never showed it.

Free time in the day was spent with their friends and each other, both happy beyond belief that, even with the rumors, they could express their feelings for the other with the other none the wiser that it wasn't just an act.

Draco was also slowly executing the plan, befriending and slowly earning the trust of the 7th year Hufflepuff. He wanted this act to end and become reality, and he wanted it soon, so he was putting all his effort into this. He loved her and wished to make her happy, and that she would return his feelings. He still didn't know that she already felt the same as he.

**(A/N: Sorry it's so short, it's just a filler chapter. More exciting stuff will happen next!)**


	11. Hogsmeade Weekend

**Chapter 11 - Hogsmeade weekend**

The next Saturday was a Hogsmeade visit, and Draco and Caitlin were going together, with Blaise, Fred, Lee, and George. They headed to Zonko's first, where Fred, George, Caitlin, and Lee looked at the shelves, choosing a few pranks from it, to use against the rumor starters, as well as looking at them to help come up with a few ideas for their own products. Draco and Blaise had watched the four, hanging a bit back. Draco watched Caitlin flit among the shelves with a near devoted look on his face, fascinated as she picked up pranks with a practiced air, or examined one to turn to the three Gryffindors and comment about making a product of their own with some aspects of the one in her hand.

She sometimes would catch these looks and grin at him, clearly at home surrounded by the various jokes and prank objects, and the grin would make him turn away and blush, causing Caitlin's grin to widen.

After spending about a half hour in the shop, the 6 went to Honeydukes, where Caitlin got a few sugar quills, Fred and George each grabbed a handful of chocolate frogs, Lee got Bertie Bott's Beans, Draco got some Acid Pops, and Blaise got a few packs of Drooble's Best Blowing Gum. After they purchased their candies, the group split, Draco and Caitlin went to the Three Broomsticks while Fred, George, and Lee went to a Quidditch shop and Blaise went to Gladrags to get some new robes, some of his were getting small.

When Caitlin and Draco reached the Three Broomsticks, they found an empty table towards the back and Draco ordered them both butterbeers. She smiled at him from across the table as they chatted quietly until drinks came.

They laughed as they sipped at their butterbeers, until a shadow feel over them. Caitlin looked up, seeing who was standing over them. It was a Slytherin girl, flanked by two beefy boys of the same house that she had seen the years before behind Draco. Crabbe and Goyle, she though Harry had called them once? The girl she had seen simpering over Draco in the past, the thought of which made Caitlin's blood burn with anger and that green monster of jealousy rear its ugly, unwanted head.

She was shaken out of her thoughts by Draco's cool question to the trio of his former friends, "What do you want, Parkinson?"

The pug-faced girl shook out her short black hair and stated in an all to sweet voice, "I just wanted to make sure your okay, Drakey. You stop talking to all of us suddenly, then you send out all those letters to those horrible blood traitors and mudbloods, and now", Caitlin could fell Draco's anger from across the table as they waited from Pansy's last reason for Draco 'not feeling well', "And now, you are dating a mudblood that used to _date_ and is best friends _with_ people from the biggest family of blood traitors-"

She was cut off from saying anymore when Draco stood, his blue eyes like ice, and his wand was quickly poking at her throat, "Don't you _dare_", Draco hissed, "Insult _my_ girlfriend or her friends. You're just jealous because you've wanted me for _years_ and I've_ never_ given you the time of day. If you insult _my_ choice in girlfriend, you insult _me_, and I don't recommend you do that."

Pansy was pale now, she was a similar color to the white shirt under her Hogwarts robes, "Drakey, you know I didn't mean- I would never-"

Draco's eyes flashed, "Get out, Parkinson. Now", Parkinson's eyes started watering, "I said _now_ Pansy."

The Slytherin girl wailed and ran out of the bar, Goyle and Crabbe bumbling after her.

Caitlin let out a sigh of relief when the Slytherins exited the door, leaning heavily against the wall. The look in Draco's eye had scared _her_ and she was the one being defended by him.

When Draco sat back down, Caitlin smiled weakly at him across the table, showing him that she was ok.

* * *

Draco saw Caitlin's weak smile and immediately felt sorry for her getting dragged into his drama. He reached across the table and grabbed her hand muttering to her, "I'm sorry. That was my issue and you didn't deserve to be dragged into it."

He watched as her cheeks redden and smothered a grin that threatened to break across his face. It showed him that his feelings were at least in part returned by the brunette Hufflepuff, which joyed him greatly. It meant he had a chance, and that he wasn't just looking in the dark for a girl who might not ever even think about him like that. Now was the time to put the plan into full effect.

Draco smiled at her as he became aware of her stuttering, "It's-uh, it's fine. I should of ex- expected it seeing how the people you used to call friends aren't the type of people to let thi- things go."

Draco waved it off, pretending he didn't notice her stuttering, "But I could have talked to them and prevented Pansy from coming here and insulting you."

Caitlin smiled at him and he could have melted like a girl at it, "It's fine, really. Even if you had confronted her before this, she still probably would have come here and 'talked' to you. I'm used to people treating me like the scum on their shoe, and it doesn't bother me anymore, because I know I'm better than them all", here her confident speech ended and she cleared her throat awkwardly. He watched her take a deep breath and then say in a much quieter voice, "But, on another note. Did you mean what you said to her? That she's wanted you forever and you've never even really looked at her?"

Draco hid a smirk and laughed, "Yeah, I meant every word of that. Why, did you believe the rumors that we were dating, to be married soon after the end of school?"

Caitlin flushed again and nodded, "Well, it looked true because she was always hanging off your arm and following you around like a sick puppy."

Draco smiled at her in a reassuring manner, "That was all her, trust me, as soon as we would get out of sight from people I would peel her off me and walk away from her quickly. She never knew how to take a hint that I didn't like her, and that hasn't changed since we were little."

Caitlin nodded, seeming to understand, which made Draco smile as they finished their butterbeers, "Come on, our friends are probably wondering where we are. We promised to meet them like 5 minutes ago.", Draco said, standing up and holding out his hand to help Caitlin up.

Caitlin took it with a smile and a muttered, "Thank you", but when she stood, she didn't let go of his hand.

Draco couldn't hide a grin that stretched across his face as the two walked hand in hand to where they had promised Fred, George, Blaise, and Lee they would meet them, hope and love lightening his heart.


	12. Letter From the Malfoy's

**Chapter 12 - Letter from the Malfoy's**

A few weeks passed before anything eventful happened again. It was now mid-November and it was breakfast time. The morning letter drop found two elegant looking owls dropping letters off at Gryffindor and Slytherin tables.

Caitlin's three best friends looked at the letter, with fancy parchment and elegant writing much like the one that had been dropped on her breakfast plate from Draco when he had sent out those apologies two months before. "Well?", George said, "Open it!"

Caitlin rolled her eyes at her impatient friend and carefully opened up the letter. As soon as she began reading she paled. This concerned her friends, and Fred asked, "Caitlin? What is it?"

"It's Draco's parents", Caitlin said shakily, "They've sent me a letter."

Gasps came from the three Gryffindors' mouths and Lee urged, "It must be something important. Read it out loud to us, Caitlin! It might not be bad."

Caitlin nodded in a scared manner and began to read,

_Miss Caitlin Kelly,_

_ Hello, it has come to our attention that you are dating our son, Draco Malfoy. We are sad that this news didn't come from Draco himself, but rather from a friend of his, Miss Parkinson. She said several nasty things about you in her letter to us, but we know that our son would not chose anyone to date that is less than perfect for him, which is why he never dated the horrid Parkinson girl. We'd like to reassure you that blood status doesn't matter in our family, only magical skill. That being said, we would like to arrange a meeting with you and our son within the school in the next week. We will get it ok'ed with the Headmaster and meet in the Room of Requirement, which we are sure you know the location of. We'll send an owl to Draco when we now the date of our meeting. _

_Thank you,_

_ Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy_

The table sat in silence for a few moments before Lee broke it, saying, "That wasn't bad. It sounds like they really want to meet you, and they don't hate you because you're a muggleborn! I think that's a positive start."

"Here's the issue, Lee", Caitlin said sadly, "As much as I love the idea, _me and Draco aren't really dating._"

"Oh", Lee said, smiling sheepishly, "Right."

Caitlin buried her face in her hands, screaming into them before groaning, "I'm doomed."

Fred patted his friend on the back and Caitlin leaned into his, sighing, "One of these days, I'm going to kill that pug-faced Parkinson girl."

Evil grins rested on George, Lee, and Fred's faces, "And we'll help.", George promised, "We will help."

* * *

Draco looked as a letter was dropped onto his plate, and recognizing it was from his parents he motioned to Blaise, who looked up at him with an annoyed expression, wondering what was important enough to interrupt his breakfast.

Draco waved the letter in his hand towards Blaise and said, "I have a letter from my parents."

Blaise's eyes widened in understanding and asked, "What does it say?"

Draco shrugged, " I haven't read it yet, I'll do it after breakfast."

Blaise nodded, understanding that Draco didn't want to read it around so many prying eyes that made up the gossipy Slytherin table, so after breakfast when Draco led him to the Room of Requirement, he wasn't surprised in the slightest.

The Room transformed into a comfortable room when Draco and Blaise walked in, several pictures of him and Caitlin in it. When Blaise saw these and looked and Draco with a raised brow, Draco scowled at him before turning away, blushing.

Draco threw himself on a chair and cleared his throat, indicating to Blaise he was going to read the letter from his parents aloud, to which Blaise responded to by sitting down himself as Draco began to read.

_Draco,_

_The Parkinson girl tells us you are dating a 7th year Hufflepuff girl who is close friends with the Weasely twins. While we are saddened by the fact that you didn't tell us you were dating yourself, we are not angry. You can imagine the things the girl had to say about the girl, Caitlin, but as you are aware, blood status doesn't matter to us, no matter the Parkinson girl's views. Now to the reason we wrote. We want to meet her, and we sent a letter to her to tell her that. Sometime this week, we will be meeting in the Room of Requirement. The date is yet unknown, as we have not yet spoken to the Headmaster about it, but you will get an owl when we do settle the date. We are happy you have found someone to date that makes you happy, son._

_We love you, _

_ Mother and Father_

_P.S. Son, don't worry about the Parkinson girl. Their daughters have been trying to marry the Malfoy sons for centuries, and none have ever succeed, no matter the schemes they think up. You can sleep easy knowing that she won't be able to do anything to force you into marriage._

By the time Draco finished reading a happy smile rested on his face. He looked up at the other Slytherin boy to see his reaction and was greeted by Blaise snorting.

When he raised his eyebrow questioningly at his friend, Blaise simply stated, "At least we know Pansy can't do anything to you or Caitlin."

Draco rolled his eyes, "Just one issue Blaise", he drawled, "Me and Caitlin are not yet dating for real.

Blaise shrugged and said, "I guess that gives you a few days to do that then."

Draco rolled his eyes and muttered under his breath, "Great. This will be fun."

**(A/N: Will Draco and Caitlin get together for real before Draco's parents visit? Come and see next chapter!)**


	13. A Visit from the Malfoy's

**Chapter 13 - A Visit from the Malfoy's**

The week passed and Draco and Caitlin were not dating yet. But, two days after the letters from the Malfoy's had come, another letter had made it's way to Draco and told the not-couple that his parents would be meeting them in the Room at 11 AM the following Saturday. Today was the day and Caitlin was starting to freak out as the clock hit 10. 1 more hour till the meeting and Caitlin had no clue what to wear. In her trunk, in addition to her everyday school robes, Caitlin also had some muggle clothing for Hogsmeade weekends, and weekends in general. But in her muggle clothing, Caitlin could not find one dress she thought appropriate for meeting her 'boyfriend's' parents as she tore her trunk apart.

Finally, 15 minutes later, Caitlin found a simple dress she felt would be good enough for meeting Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy. It was yellow, like most of her wardrobe, had short sleeves, and ended just bellow her knees. It had a few ruffles, starting around her waist and a slightly 'V'ed neckline, not too extreme, but just enough to be considered mature. She paired the dress with a gold necklace with a badger pendant dangling from the chain her parents had gotten her for Christmas her second year at Hogwarts, a small black belt she secured around her waist, a pair of simple gold earrings, and a pair of black flats. To put the final touches on her look she put on a slight blush and a touch of pale pink lipstick, and slightly curled her normally straight hair.

It was now about 10:30 and she rushed off out of the Hufflepuff dorms to get to the Room on time, and she reached it in 20 minutes, a good time seeing how big the castle was and how far the 7th floor corridor where the Room was from her common room. When she got there, she saw that Draco's parents were not there, but he was, and the sight of him took away her breath.

He was dressed rather simply compared to her, in a nice pair of black slacks held up by a silver belt and a nice emerald dress shirt. His blonde hair was in it's usual messy 'style', which look effortless, but she suspected took as long to get it so perfect as she took to brush out her shoulder-length hair on a normal morning.

"Hi Draco", Caitlin said, feeling shy all the sudden, as she neared the Slytherin.

Draco turned to face her, "Hey", he greeted, looking much more at ease than her.

'Then again', she thought, 'It's _his_ parents we're meeting.' She went to stand next Draco, wiping her palms against her dress nervously.

While they waited for his parents, Draco commented to her, "You look beautiful today. And very Hufflepuff."

Caitlin smiled at him, "Most of my clothes are in my house colors. Most don't think much of Hufflepuff house, but I'm proud to be in it."

Draco grinned, "I'm sure. The house is known for kindness and hard work, what's not to be proud of?"

Caitlin shrugged, "For some reason people think my house to be stupider than the rest. Because Helga Hufflepuff didn't discriminate who she wanted in her house, she was fine with anyone in her house", she sighed, she really was protective of her house.

Draco was nodding in understanding, "I get it. It's like so many people think Slytherins are all evil because we produce the most dark wizards. So what? Ambition can lead people astray and that's what our house is full of, ambitious people."

Caitlin smiled at him, "I don't hold any prejudice views of the houses that others do. Each house produces good wizards, and bad ones. Stereotypes are almost never correct, and that should be remembered by people."

The two smiled at each other, seeing that they were on the same wavelength about this, but soon after this, Draco's parents appeared at the end of the hall. Caitlin paled in her nerves, but quickly out on a smile, hoping it didn't show how nervous she was.

"Hello Mr. Malfoy, Mrs. Malfoy", Caitlin greeted, hoping her voice wasn't shaking.

Draco's mother smiled kindly at her, "Please, call me Narcissa, Mrs. Malfoy makes me sound so old and it's too formal for my son's girlfriend to use."

"And call me Lucius", Draco's father continued, "There's no need for formality here."

"Ok, Lucius, Narcissa", Caitlin repeated, "Shall we go into the Room?" At the two's nods, Caitlin began to pace in front where the door would appear, thinking 'We need a room for a nice lunch and comfortable for talking later." After the third time she passed the door, she stopped and the door appeared. She took a deep breath before leading the Malfoy family into the Room.

* * *

Draco looked around at what the Room had created from Caitlin's wish. The walls were a deep emerald green, much like the shirt he was wearing and Caitlin's eyes, and the comfortable looking carpet was the deepest black in color. A table stood on one half the room, just big enough for the four of them and covered by a green cloth only a shade or so lighter than the walls. The chairs at the table were made of darkly stained wood.

On the other half of the room sat a few chairs, a sofa, and a coffee table all around a fireplace. The chairs were all a light green color, and the sofa was a darker green. The only not green or black thing in the room was the coffee table, which was a wood that was stained a nearly yellow color. Silver pillows sat on the ends of the green sofa, making it clear that the room had combined the house colors of Slytherin and Hufflepuff house.

They all gathered around the table, sitting awkwardly for a moment, as they had no food yet, until Lucius clapped his hands twice and called out, "Dobby?"

A slight 'poof' sound signaled the entrance of the house elf before they were bombarded by the floppy-eared elf, who questioned, "Yes sir? What can Dobby do for Master Malfoy?"

"Dobby, can you get us some lunch?", Lucius asked.

Dobby nodded, her ears waving franticly as he did so, "Yes, sir. Of course. Dobby will be doing that and getting right back!" With another 'pop', he was gone.

Narcissa smiled, "Dobby is my favorite elf, he has a... enthusiasm that many others lack."

Lucius and Draco nodded in agreement with Narcissa as another 'pop' showed Dobby's return, with several plates of food. Chicken, mashed potatoes, corn, a pitcher of pumpkin juice, and several other items appeared on the table.

Draco watched as Caitlin grabbed a little food, not as much as she normally would around the Weasely twins and their friend Lee in the Great Hall and guessed it was because she was trying to look more polite and dainty in front of his parents. He was torn between amusement and worry at this thought, amusement because it showed that looking good in front of his parents was important to her, which could be a sign that his feelings were returned, and worry because it meant she was more nervous than he had thought she would be and probably a bit scared as well.

Lunch passed with small talk of, "How are you?" and "How has school been?" But, as lunch finished and the four moved to the couches, the real grilling from Draco's parents began.

As soon as Draco and Caitlin hit the cushions of the couch, Narcissa started in on them, "So, how long have you two been dating?"

Both flushed as Draco carefully answered, "A couple of weeks."

She raised her brow, "Oh? Then why did we just hear about it _last_ week."

Draco bit him lip, and was surprised when Caitlin answered, "We didn't want to tell you yet, as I'm 17 and Draco's only 15, we though the age difference would be a issue to you, we also wanted to see if it would work once school ended and since this is my last year, if it would survive while he's at school and my and my friends Fred and George start our joke shop."

Draco was impressed by her answer, and a glimmer of hope sparked bigger in his chest as his mother fired her next question at Caitlin, "A joke shop? Where do you plan on beginning this venture, and with what money?"

Draco sensed that Caitlin was more comfortable on this more familiar ground, "We would like to open our first branch in Diagon Alley, get business from students when they return to Hogwarts and are there for their school stuff. As for money, I've been saving up my allowance at home since we came up with this idea as third years, and the rest we plan on loaning from our friends the Potter's, as they are willing to invest in it and trust that we will pay them back their money on the profits were believe we will get."

Narcissa was nodding at the wise-ness of this idea, so Lucius took over, "Are you sure this venture will compete well against Zonko's?"

Caitlin nodded, "We are, we offer a different range of products than they do, and Fred and George have also come up with this creature that is sure to sell well with the younger girls, a fluffy thing called Pygmy Puffs. They'll end up coming in many different colors, but for now it's just pink and purple. Our products aren't just going to be joke related, but some more helpful things too, like defense products that might be eventually used by Arours, but the plan now for those are for dueling students."

Lucius and Caitlin talked more on the business, which Caitlin said was going to be called Weasely's Wizard Wheezes, and Draco watched as Caitlin became more and more relaxed around his parents until his mother decided to make a comment that shocked him and Caitlin both. "You two really do love each other", she said, "I can tell by the way you look at each other. This will be something that lasts for a long time."

The two were still shell-shocked when, a few moments later, his parents said that they would be going home now and the four headed out the door of the Room. They made their numb goodbyes, before turning and facing each other, identical looks of shock in their usually very different eyes.

Finally Caitlin broke the silence, saying, "Is what your mother said true? Do you like me?"

Draco nodded and was caught up in a hug by Caitlin, who muttered into his ear, "I feel the same way about you."


	14. A Real Date

**Chapter 14 - A Real Date**

Caitlin had a heavenly past few weeks after meeting Draco's parents. After Draco's mother had forced the admittance of their feelings into the air, her and Draco had been dating, for real, and though they were 17 and 15, they were like third years at the moment, skidding around their first kiss.

The female best friend of the Weasely twins and Lee Jordan, and the Slytherin 'sex god', (A name she was sure had been given to him by the pug-faced Parkinson girl) had been dating for several weeks and had not yet kissed. To anyone who knew, it was a major shock, to Caitlin it was a relief, in a way, because it proved that Draco's not-so-good reputation was untrue and she really wouldn't have to worry about him doing things he was rumored to have done before.

But, today they were going to go on their first real date, and, Caitlin hoped, they'd share their first kiss as a couple. The date was going to start at 1 in the Room of Requirement, and as it was Saturday, she could spend all day preparing for it. It was 10 at the moment, and Caitlin had the task of digging through her trunk in search of an outfit again.

She found it much quicker than she had found one to meet Draco's parents, it only took her about 15 minutes. It was another simple yellow dress, most of her clothing was yellow, it had a sweetheart neckline and ruffled slightly towards the bottom, which fell just above her knees. Underneath the dress she wore black leggings, which began just bellow her knees and on her feet a pair of yellow flats with simple black bows at the toe. Around her waist was a black belt that had a yellow bow of to the side of it. In her hair, which was waved a bit today, rested a yellow bow clipped towards the front of her face on the right side. Make-up wise, it was even simpler than when she had met his parents. All she had on was a light pink lip-gloss.

So, all in all, she was looking quite cute, and very Hufflepuff today. It was only 10:45 now, so there was a long time left till she had to meet Draco. Too pass the time, she sat on the side of her bed and let her mind drift back to the reactions the proclamation that she was now dating Draco Malfoy, for real, her friends had had.

She had been in the Gryffindor Common Room, with Fred, Harry, George, Hermione, Lee, and Ron the day after meeting Draco's parents when Hermione had asked how it had went.

"_How was it?", Hermione asked, "Was it horrible? Did they like you?"_

_Caitlin grinned, "I think they did, actually. We somehow got on the topic of the joke store and me and Lucius really hit it off, talking about business."_

_Fred and George perked up at the mention of the shop, "What kind of things did you talk about with the shop?", George questioned. _

_Caitlin shrugged, "What kind of products we'd produce, possible competition with Zonko's, location, where we'd get the money to start up, the basic questions that we've gone over a million times."_

_Fred had nodded understandingly, "I see. Did they seem interested in the shop? Do you think they would ever stop in?"_

_Caitlin had nodded as well, "I'm sure they will. They were very interested in it, as well as seeming proud that someone they probably think is going to be their future daughter-in-law is starting her own business with her friends."_

"_Hey!", George said, mockingly affronted, "It's _our_ business, not yours!"_

_Fred, however, caught on to the other thing she had said, "Future daughter-in-law?", her repeated questioningly, "How are they under that assumption?"_

_Caitlin had blushed, "Ah, yes future daughter-in-law. You see, guys...", she trailed here, "You see, Narcissa decided that she saw a great deal of love between me and Draco and said that we would be together 'a long time', and then soon after that, they left." Caitlin seemed to be trying to draw courage from the air as she took a deep breath, "And then I turned to Draco, asked him if he, like his mother had insinuated, liked me. He confirmed it, and then I hugged him… and now we're together."_

_She had looked around, to see what her friends reactions were. Hermione and Harry looked slightly smug, as well as over-joyed at the news, while the four still seemed to be in shock. _

_Lee became the first to break off from the shock and it changed instead to slight disbelief, "Are you really dating Draco Malfoy now? The blonde Slytherin?"_

_Caitlin had nodded and said in a soft, happy voice, "Yes, Lee. We're really dating now and I couldn't be happier."_

_Lee nodded and said, "If you're happy, then I'm happy for you and wish you two luck."_

_Caitlin grinned at her commenter friends, "Thanks Lee, that means a bunch to me."_

_During Lee and Caitlin's exchange, it seemed Fred had snapped of his shock as well and smiled gently at her, "I agree with Lee, if you're happy with Malfoy, than I wish you two the best."_

_Caitlin grinned at the gentler of the twins, "Thanks Fred, that means a lot coming from you, with our past."_

_Fred grinned at her, a mischievous grin she had often seen on him while they had dated, "I would think my approval as a friend would matter more than that of an ex-boyfriend", he joked._

_Caitlin grinned back, "Oh it does, it' just so happens you're both so it matters doubly." _

_They laughed and that seemed enough to bring George back to earth, who then slung an arm over her shoulder, "You just tell your git of a boyfriend that your transportation to most places is still us, ok?"_

_Caitlin grinned at her friend, "I wouldn't dream of any other mode of transport, George.", she promised her friend, laughing._

_It took a minute more from Ron to shake his shock off, and when he did, he turned a red similar in color to his hair, and Caitlin prepared for the infamous Ron Weasely temper to break loose and her to be attacked verbally, but it never came. Ron had taken a few deep breaths and with each one the red in his face lessened until it was gone and Ron said in a normal, eerily calm voice, "Are you sure you want to date him Caitlin? He's a Slytherin that until this year was attacking us all."_

_Caitlin nodded, "I'm sure. You know he's changed, Ron. And I love him, and I think he loves me too."_

_Ron had then nodded, "If you're sure, I wish you two happiness."_

_Caitlin smiled and hugged the youngest Weasely boy, "Thanks Ron, and thanks for not blowing up on me."_

_Ron grinned at her, "If I blew up, I could be sure to be the lab rat for the twin's next new product."_

"_Got that right, Ronnie-kins", George said with a cheeky grin, causing Caitlin to roll her eyes. She loved her friends and would never replace them, and that they all approved of her and Draco was something that brought her great joy. She now knew beyond the shadow of the doubt that her friends would always be there for her., and she would always be there for them._

Caitlin snapped out of her memories, and checked the clock, 12:15. She guessed she could go to the Room now, and would avoid being too early if she walked slowly. She got up and straightened her dress carefully before walking in the direction her date would be in.

* * *

Draco looked at his watch, it was 12:42, only a single minute had passed since he last check the time, leaning against the wall in the hall outside the Room of Requirement. He wore a simple nice outfit, a clover green dress shirt with a simple pair of gray slacks. A black belt with the Malfoy family crest on the buckle was fitted around his waist, a pair of simple black shoes were on his feet, and in the pocket of his gray slacks, where it had been for a while since they had began dating for real, was a promise ring. Tonight he was planning on giving it to her as a substitute for the real thing until he graduated, that was, if she accepted.

He checked his watch again, 12:44. Why was time moving so slow today? He was about to rub his face, irritated, but paused as his girlfriend came into view.

She was dressed in her house colors, as per usual, but then again, as was he. His face spilt into a wide smile, "Hey, Caitlin You look beautiful in the house of friendship's colors."

He watched as she fondly rolled her eyes at his words. He had taken to calling her house by many of its traits, and not by it's name. When she made it over to him he walked in front of the wall three times, thinking, 'I need a nice place for a calm date with my girlfriend'.

Then, he opened the door that appeared and look inside. What was presented to him was the typical romantic dinner scene. The room lit by candles, a vase of various beautiful flowers in the middle of a table big enough for the two of them and a few yards away sat a loveseat for if they wanted to chat after dinner.

He grinned at the set-up the Room had provided and led Caitlin in, pulling the chair out for her at the table and pushing it in once she sat before sitting himself. Once they were both seated, Draco called for Dobby, who put several different plates o food before them before popping back out and leaving the two.

Draco chatted happily with his girlfriend, talking about anything that they thought of, their childhoods, any school life before Hogwarts, WWW, thoughts of what they wanted to do after Hogwarts. At one point they got talking about animagus and Caitlin confined in him something only Fred, Lee, and George knew before this. She, Caitlin Kelly had an illegal animagus and was a fox in her animal form.

Draco had never had as much fun in his life than he had with Caitlin that day, and around 3:30, as they moved from the table to the loveseat Draco began to finger the ring in his pocket and carefully guided their conversation to their relationship, before Draco got onto the floor on one knee.

Caitlin, who had seen many muggle movies with proposing men brought her hands to her mouth in a gasp as Draco began to speak, "I know we haven't been dating long and I'm still 15, so for sanity's sake I have a promise ring here for you if you accept until I get out of Hogwarts and can propose properly. But for now, I love you Caitlin, and you make me happier than I have even been in my life, can you take this promise ring until I am out of school?"

Caitlin's eyes watered with joyful tears as she flung herself at the 15-year-old Slytherin, "Of course I will, Draco. I love you too."

Draco slipped the ring onto her ring finger and pressed their lips together in their first shared kiss. It was brief, too much so, but it was tender and in conveyed the loved the two shared even though their relationship still in it's early stages. It showed how much love they would share in the coming years.

They loved each other and nothing was ever going to change that, ever. Pansy would try many times, but it never worked. She would eventually move on, but it took her until Draco and her were about to graduate from Hogwarts to see, after the ceremony for their graduation, she went to apologize to Draco and Caitlin for her attempts through the years, and they forgave her. After all, Caitlin was a muggleborn Hufflepuff, and her house's ways rubbed off onto her boyfriend, and he wouldn't change a thing.

**(A/N: Yay, it's coming to a close, they're together, and all that's left is the epilogue! I really enjoyed writing this story, so I hoped you liked it too. Epilogue will be up soon!)**


	15. Epilogue

**Chapter 15 - Epilogue**

It was 21 years later and Caitlin and Draco were at Platform 9 ¾ with the 'family', aka all their friends. Harry and Ginny were there with Sirius James, going to 2nd year, Albus Remus, going into 1st year, and Daisy Lily, who would start Hogwarts the next year. Ron and Hermione were there with their two kids, Rose, who was in Albus's year, and Hugo, who would be Daisy next year at Hogwarts. Then came Fred and George with their wife and kids. Fred had three, a girl named Lyra who was going to be a 4th year, who was the oldest, his only son Matthew who was in 2nd year with James, and his youngest girl Lola, who was going into 1st year with Rose and Albus. George only had two kids, Roxanne in Lyra's year, and Ivan in 2nd year. Lee Jordan and his wife had a child of their own, a 3rd year girl named Ivory.

Sirius, Ivan, and Matt were pretty much this generation's Marauders , while Rose, Albus and Lola were more like the Golden Trio.

Blaise had found himself a girl he could relate to two years after Draoc and Caitlin's wedding and married her, but their one child was still to young for Hogwarts, a girl of only 9 named Caroline.

Draco and Caitlin joined the large party with their children. They had two, a pair of mischief-eyed twin girls named Stephanie and Penny. The two girls had their father's pale blonde hair along with their mother's emerald colored eyes, as well as their mom's passion for pranks and their father's manners and poised air. They were going to be 1st years and it was a frequent argument between the married couple what house the girls would be in, having traits of them all. Their one hope, though, was that they didn't get split up into two different houses, as they'd never been apart in childhood and it'd be hard on them to be apart.

The train was getting ready to leave now and all the children that were going to Hogwarts this year ran to the train, trunks having been put in by family members long before. Draco watched the train pull away from the station with the weight of missing his little girl's already heavy on him when he felt his wife's head lay on his shoulder as she looked up at him with those green eyes he had fallen in love with so long ago. They would be married 19 years in July, and though they fought as all couples do, they never regretted Caitlin yelling at Draco in the train so long ago and changing his whole life, as it got them to where they were today, with their true love by their side and two beautiful daughters who were growing up too fast before their eyes. They still loved each other with the intensity they had felt in the Room when Draco had given her the promise ring, and possibly loved each other even more now they had then.

Caitlin Kelly the Hufflepuff muggleborn, and Draco Malfoy the Slytherin pureblood Prince shared an unbound love that all started as an argument on a train and ended with happiness for the rest of their days and they wouldn't change a minute of it.

**(A/N: The end! Thank you for reading my story, I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it! Readers make the writers world go 'round, as do reviews. *cough* My next fic is going to be a crossover between Harry Potter and this Sci Fi show thing called Tin Man, it's a modern day Wizard of Oz type thing. I've had this idea for a while and I want to get it down, so please read it! Thank you readers, I love you guys!) **


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